Abstract: A method of assessing a spatial frequency distribution within a sample comprising subjecting the sample to magnetic resonance excitation, receiving an echo signal from the sample while the sample is subjected to a magnetic field gradient, applying an invertible linear transform to the echo signal, identifying a region of interest in the transformed echo signal and deriving a corresponding window function, applying the window function (in the signal or transform domain) to the echo signal to remove echo signal coming from regions of the sample outside of the region of interest, and analyzing the one dimensional spatial frequency content in the windowed echo signal in order to access a one dimensional spatial frequency distribution within the region of interest within the sample without creating an image.

Abstract: In a structural analysis using NMR techniques, a method for gathering k-value data from frequency encoded spin echoes generated from internal volumes selectively excited by intersecting 90° and 180° slice selective and refocusing RF pulses and subjected to a read gradient for the purpose of quantifying the spatial frequency content of the selected internal volume without contamination by a FID signal, comprising: acquiring spin echo data such that the FID signal generated by imperfections in the 180° slice selective refocusing RF pulse is attenuated by the read gradient such that any remaining FID signal is spatially encoded with higher k-values than the frequency encoded k-values being recorded for subsequent structural analysis while simultaneously providing for t2 t2* and t1 contrast. Other aspects of the invention are disclosed.